Steam-heating system.



J. A. DONNELLY. STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 190B.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

d MMM $7110 3 woe who a I 851 2;: attqzuu I J. A. DONNELLY.

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM. APPLICATION IILBD MAR. 12, 1000.

974,246. Patented Nov. 1,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fi 5- Ifwi lwfiiefioeo I M64 avwe Mom new and useful a speci stallation embodyin restricting means which may be used in conof a-por'tion of an main to the return UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. DONNELLY, 0F BROOKLYN, NE! YORK.

STEAM-HEATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

974,246. Application filed March 12,

1908. Serial No. 420,622.

- valve, piece.

not proved satisfactory, because of the insuflicient motion of the valve piece to efi'ect the desired removal of the' water and air. They have also been found to 010 very quickly owing to the rust, dirt and 01 present; and have further proved defective, because of the, gradual loss of the property of expansion due to the continued heating and cooling. The float devices, also, are not satistactory, becoming inoperative by reason of the collapseor water loggin a destruction of the float he to the continued rattlin or pounding of the same a ainst the va ve seat. The iston and diap ragm o erated valves are ikewise unsatisfactory ton in the-former case, thereby holding the valve piece wide 0 on or entirely shut; and in the latter case, ecause of the rupture of the diaphragm. the exception of the thermostatic, are objectionable by reason of the noise produced when they are in action, as well as by reason of the many complications found'necessary in their construction, in order to provide auxiliary means for the removal of the air. It is the object of the present invention to dispense with the use of such valves en- 'tirely, of an mof all valves of any complication'whatso- Figs. ever; substituting t erefor devices providing restricting orifices of fixed dimensions insuring the ready and rapid removal of To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. Donn-prim, a citizen of the United States, and a resident. of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Steam- Heatin Systems, of which the following is cation.

My invention relates to steam heating systems, and particularly to that class of steam heating systems in which a mechanical circulation of the steam is maintained by the application of a vacuum pump upon the return.

It has for its object a system of this character in which the use of all devices neces-' sary ,for the control of the circulation of Steam are of the simplest character.

In my prior application Serial No. 316,427, filed May 12, 1906, I have disclosed a method of control of the circulation by regulating the weight over a given area of the seat of the valve; whereas in the present application I control the flow by varying the area of the seat of t e valve device, while the weight may or m y not be constant, or may be entirely omitted.

The nature of my invention will be best understood in connection with the accompanying drawin s in which- Figure 1 is a iagrammatic view my invention.

2 and 3 are sectiona invention. Fi 4 is a view installation s owing a r'adiator, pi e connections and restricting devices, the atter being in section. Similar charactersof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. In the earlier systems operating with a vacuum pum on the return it was custom ary to provi e a restricting valve or a valve having a restricted o ening of fixed dimension on the return 0 each radiating device and on each dr-ip leading from the steam main. Thermostatic valves were'afterward substituted for these, and later many other forms of automatic steam 'trap devices, such as float valves an nection with my reventing the passage of the steam in obectionable quantities.

Referring to the diagrammatic view, Fig. 1, 10 desi ates a steam supply main receivin ex aust steam from an engine (not shown or other suitable source of suppl The main 10 feeds through branch su p y pipes 11 and valves 14, a plurality of Iieat distributing sections or systems 12, com prising one or more radiatin devices 13 provided with the usual in et valves a restriction, as in the valve device 18 shown pressure operated motor valves with piston in Fig. 2, and hereinafter more fully deor diaphragm to efieetthe operation of the scribe This device 18 provides a restric- Patented Nov. 1,1919.

The thermostatic valves haveecauseof the sticking of the pis- All, of these valves, with and in fact, to dispense with the use Branch returns 15 connect each section or the water of condensation and the air, but

. suflicient to allow of the removal; of the initial water of condensation from the fixed amount of radiating surface controlled thereby, and under a given difierenee of pressure and substantially within. a predetermined time.

Into each of the branchreturns 15 is inserted a restricting device 19, shown in Fig.

3 and hereinafter more fully described, and

providing a restriction of fixed dimension,

as of diameter d. This restricting opening in the device 19 is of suflicient area to readily pass the total normal condensation from the corres onding sect-ion or system 12 under a pre etermined difierence of pressure and within a predetermined period'of time.

The said device 19 comprises essentially a.

body 20 forming a casing; a valve piece 21 seated upon the valve seat 22 which is vided with the restriction 22. of diameter d, whichv restriction may be varied; suitable weights 23 affording a means of regulating the weight over the restriction if desired; a valve passage 24 adapted to be automatically sealed or opened by said valve piece 21; and an inlet 25 and an outlet 26 to said body 20. a I prefer to make. the valve device 18 somewhat similar to the device 19. This valve device 18 com rises a body 20 forming a casing rovided with an inlet 25 and outlet 26 an a valve piece 21 hinged to a separate inclosing casing27 within the body 20. The valve piece 21 carries suitable weights 23 and projects through the restricting opening or valve passage 24' in casing 27 of a diameter d.

I may of course substitute one form of device for the other, or employ only one and the same device at the outlets of the radiatingdevices and in the branch returns; but

'prefer to use the form shown in Fig. 2v at the outlets of the radiating devices 13, and the form shown in Fig.- 3, in the branch returns '15. "These restricting devices as shown, are made. in a convenient form for k affording a restricted opening of fixed dimension (smaller than the pipe connection) provide such further and' the valve piece is provided forflthe purpose of closing the restricting opening against flow in the reverse direction, and to control of the flow as may be desired by varying, the weight of the said valve piece as set forth in my prior application #316,427, filed May 12, 1906.

I. the system with vary the area of In makingthe adjustment to pass the water of condensation and the air'from radiators" throu h devices having restricted openings of xed dimensions, or static valve devices, it has been. the usual practice to fill steam and then by trial the restrictin openings untllthe required area to pass pro-' e air and the water of condensat on as-it accumulated was obtained. This was readily accomplished, and so long as the system remained in continuous operation, butlittle difliculty was experienced. When, however, anyradiating device was turned 01f and on at frequent intervals it was found that the'device did not clear itself of the air and the condensed water as quickly as it should, due to the fact that the initial condensation resulting from the absorption of heat by the iron of the radiating device' is considerable. Thus, radiators of the ordinary type weighing as they-do from 6 to 7 lbs. per sq. ft. of direct radiation, 'will condense about as much water in their initial heating as they would ordinarily condense in one-half hour under normal operation; For exa'mple,'a radiator, containing 100 sq. ft. of exposed surface may be considered as ordinarily condensing about 30 lbs. of steam in one-hour,

and as condensing about 15 lbs. in the initial heating. Now, since it is desirable that a radiator when cold should heat up within fiv e or six minutes after the heat is turned on, the area of the restricting opening in the valve would therefore have to be from 5 to 6 times as large as that required to pass the normal condensation; and as such, would be 5 to 6 times larger than would afterward be required for the normal operation of the radiating device. It can thus be readily seen thatthe result in this case would not be satisfactory. In the presentinvention these difiiculties are overcome, the large restrict-ing openings necessary to accommodate the initial condensation being retained, but the entire system so arranged L that the disadvantages of the former systems are not present, whereby I obtain the great advantages resulting from the extreme simplicity of the devices employed.-

In order to obtain the desired result, I ordinarily employ a method of collecting the water of condensation and the air'from several radiators connected "into the groups 12, the total condensation and air from each group passing through the gorresponding branch returns 15 to the main return 16.

At the outlet of each radiating device 13 is one or the provided with a restricting opening of diameter d affording an area of openin sufficient to accommodate, within the esired time, the initial condensation and the air from said radiating, device. Into each of the branch returns 15 is inserted one or the other of the valves 18 or 19 providing a restricting o enin of diameter d afi'ording an area su ciept ylarge topassthe total normalcondensation and the air from all of the radiators of the corresponding group. The proper prop'ortioning of these restricting openings isa very simplqproblem for anyoneof ordinary skill; and familiar with the art and with the laws governing the flow of other of the devices 18 or 19,

Thus, a hole 1/16 fluids through orifices.

to .003 sq. inch, will inch in diameter, equal pass the air and the water of condensation diameter of 5/32 inch, equal to .019 woul be 5 vided.

' sary to pass ings which may sufficiently large to pass the condensation due to the initialheating within the required time with the same difference in pressure. Or, one of about 1/4 inch in diameter would be sufficient for 1/4 pound difference in pressure.

As it is generally desirable to carry 8 to 10 inches of vacuum in the main return in order that the friction of the steam main and return main may be provided for, and a sufficient difference in pressure still be left for operation at some distance from the source of supply, the. opening in the branch may be figured as about .02 square inch in area, or a 5/32 inch, round hole for the normal condensation from 1000 sq. ft. of radiation with 4 pounds difference in pressure.

Where a single radiator is connected to the main. return the same method may be used if the cubical contents of the pipe be-- tween the two openings is su cient to temporarily hold the water of initial condensation. Thus the space required for the initial condensation from a radiator of 100 sq. ft., would be that occupied by 15 pounds of water, or about 1/4 of a cubic foot.

No exact method is needed for the proportioning of these openings if the same ratio of o ening in proportion to radiating surface is lsed, as the required difierence in pressure will automatically adjust itself to that required for the withdrawal of the air and water from the opening which is pro- In practice the restricting openings in the branch returns are proportioned to an area of from 15 to 20% in excess of that necesthe normal condensation, in order to provide for the temporary increased condensation caused by the turning on of a cold radiator. The returns bein as a rule of considerable capacity, they wi 1 also tend to accommodate-"the temporary increased condensation. After the entire plant is in operation any errors apparent, that have been made in the areas of the restrictions, are corrected by increasing or decreasing the restricting openings as the occasion may require.

The radiating effect Of'thB return main will also tend to compensate for irregularities in the proportion of these openingsby condensing the steam passedfrom the openbe slightly larger than that necessary for proper air and water removslill. t e branch returns is ample to accomplish this. The reevaporation of the condensed water to restrict myself to tions or from the radiators, due to the same entering a space of lower pressure, he condensed by the radiating surface of the return.

Although I have shown the restricting devices in the preferable form of check valves to prevent backing and to aid in the control of the circulation, yet I do not wish thereby the use of such valves, as I may employ simple restrictions to effect the desired result.

1. In a steam heating system, the, combination of a steam supply main, a return main, a plurality of heat distributing sections or systems each comprising one or more radiating devices, a branch supply and a branch return pipe afiording independent communication or each section or system with said supply and return mains, a fitting, having a restricting orifice of fixed dimension, at the outlet of each radiating device,

and a fitting, having a restricting orifice of fixed dimension, in each branch return, the area of said restricting orifices of the radiating devices of each ing a definite and predetermined relation to 'the area of the restricting orifice of the corresponding branch return.

2. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply main, a return main, a plurality of heat distributing sections or systems ea h comprisin more radiating devices, a branc supply and a branch return pi e affording independent communication or each section or system with said supply and return mains, a fitting, having a restricting orifice, at the outlet of each radiating dev ce, the area of same being proportioned to the initial condensation of the radiating device, and a fitting, having a restricting orifice, in each of the branch returns, the area of same being proportioned to the normal condensation of the corresponding'section or system.

3. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam suppl main, a return section or system bear will likewise main, a plurality of heat distributing sections or systems each comprising one or more radiating devices, a branchsupply and a branch return 1pc affording independent communication or each section or system with said supply and return mains, a check valve, havinga restricted orifice of fixed dimension, at the outlet of each radiating device, and a check valve, having a restricting orifice of fixed dimension, in each branch returns. a 4

4. In a steam heating system, the combination of a steam supply main, a return main, a plurality of heat distributing secsystems each com risin one or more radiating devices, a ranc supply and a branch return pi e affording 'independent communication or each section or of the- & 974,246

system with said supply and return mains, I New York, and State of New York, this 10th a Weightfed check valve, having 12: restricting day of March A. D. 1908. orificeo fixed dimension, at t e out et of each radiating device, and a weighted check JAMES DONNELLY' 5 valve, having a restricting orifice of fixed Witnesses:

dimension, in each of the branch returns. FREDK. F. SoHUETz, Signed at New York, in the county of SALLY O. YUDIZKY. 

